Libraries

A modern addition to an old London home offers ample space for a growing family, as well as a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf situated under a skylight.

The shelves display the homeowners’ books, records, clothing, and more, bringing personality to the spaces while still creating a regularity with its straight lines and consistent spacing.

An entrance hall leads to the living/dining area, where the architects used old bricks to make a fireplace, stairs, and built-in benches feel as though they were always there.

In the dining room, under one of six large industrial skylights, one of the massive hearths is ornamented with a single red tile. Though they don’t know why Katselas placed it there, Mel and designer/project manager Carter Bradley turned it into a motif that pops up unexpectedly elsewhere in the house.

In 2009 on a quiet Los Angeles corner, Mel Elias found a severely water-damaged, crumbling 5,000-square-foot house hidden behind a tangle of overgrown vegetation. Its former owner, the late Hollywood acting coach Milton Katselas, had filled his property with industrial skylights and enormous, wood-burning fireplaces. The glass-and-concrete construction was framed by high ceilings, rusted steel beams, and varied elevations across the single-story plan. Thanks to an 11-year long, multiphase renovation by designer Carter Bradley, the home—with all of its quirks and character—shines again.

The architects designed the home’s expansion with the knowledge that the owners plan to continue the renovation when their budget allows it. "We wanted to put everything in the right place so it doesn’t have to be undone later," says Corti.

A wall on the second level features a built-in bookcase with a reading nook.

The reading room’s custom bookcase is made of white lacquered wood. A vintage chair and an Arco lamp from FLOS create a cozy, illuminated nook.

A soaring tower of shelves crafted from Shinnoki pre-finished wood panels in the "Ivory Oak" color now form the family library.

The library, also located in the quiet zone, features a custom table by Madeleine Blanchfield Architects, Henry Time SB 1901 chairs, and an Atollo lamp by Vico Magistretti for Oluce.

Metalworker Rick Gage made the library’s custom bookcase on the remnants of the home’s original, Depression-era second staircase which dates back to when the home was a duplex. A pullout ladder provides access to the books.

"I've always loved the way buildings look when they're under construction, and the walls of the office are basically like open framing," Davis says.

The door to Eoghan Mahony’s office is set on a caster and has a hinge that runs the entire ten-foot height.

On the second floor, wood slats along one wall conceal doors to two bedrooms, while the open shelving acts as both storage and a handrail for the double-height living room below.

Thanks to a spacious bookshelf and plenty of seating, this vibrant area is an inviting spot to read and relax.

A pair of Molded Plywood lounge chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller sit opposite a BoConcept coffee table and a sofa of Paul’s design. For his father’s book collection, Paul created a library around the double-height staircase.